There are many circumstances when one needs to be able to consume food away from a table and also to be able to carry food, drinks, and other implements. These circumstances include when one travels on a plane, in a car, a train, a boat, or a bus or when one is hiking or on a picnic, or when one is bedridden, or when one has purchased food at a fast-food outlet, or when one is at a crowded venue such as a sport event, party, etc. It is very difficult to eat or drink without spilling food or drink onto oneself. Also, under these same consequences, one needs a convenient carrying means for the food and drink that are to be consumed.
Efforts have been made to design a device that would first provide a means to transport food and second a means for preventing food from spilling on the consumer when eating. Finally, it would be especially advantageous if the device is disposable.
Many devices combine a bag with a bib, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,278 (Robitaille) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,968 (Crockett). However, these designs have the disadvantage of providing only limited protection to the wearer because they cover only a limited portion of the wearer's chest and lap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,701 (Ferreyros) also discloses a bib and a pouch. However, the pouch does not catch crumbs or other debris spilled by the user.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a combination of a bib and a food carrying receptacle that provides adequate protection to the wearer while consuming food and drink. The bib/receptacle combination should also provide a means to carry food, drink, and other objects before consumption and a catch-all for left-overs, utensils, spill-overs and refuse after consumption so as to keep the surroundings free of litter. Finally, it would be especially advantageous if the device is disposable.